OIC a platform for Muslim countries to work together: Qureshi

Islamabad: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is a platform for Muslim countries through which we can work together by a common strategy in resolving any issue of Muslims in the world.

Addressing OIC’s Webinar on Golden Jubilee of OIC in Islamabad on Friday through video Link, he said the hopes and aspirations of Muslim states are linked with this platform and all these countries desire for unity and increase our presence on the world as one voice.

He said during the journey of half-century this second largest global platform has made many notable achievements.

He said, fifty years ago today, 25 Muslim countries had pledged to work together to formulate an action plan to protect their common interests and achieve goals in response to a tragic attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque.

He said through this platform we are finding ways to promote collaboration in various fields including science and technology, economy and trade, education, youth affairs and women’s issues.

The Foreign Minister said that Pakistan is one of the founding members of the OIC, so it has always played a key role in the improvement and promotion of this body. He said that Pakistan has hosted two OIC Summits and four Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) Conferences and we Islamabad is further ready to host the 48th Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting.

Qureshi said that the Muslim Ummah, at the movement, stands at a point where millions of innocent people are being targeted in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He said the continued brutal atrocities on unarmed Kashmiris, after Indian illegal and unilateral action, have turned it into a great human tragedy.

He said it is commendable that OIC has raised the issue of atrocities against Kashmiris globally through its resolutions and concrete statements. He said OIC Contact Group for Kashmir has played a leading role in this regard.

The Foreign Minister said that it is clear that the Kashmir issue must be resolved in the light of the aspirations of the Kashmiris and the UN resolutions for the peace and stability in the region.

Expressing solidarity with Palestinian brethren, he said that Pakistan is in favor of a two-state solution for Palestinian issue in accordance with UN and OIC resolutions. He said the Muslims of Palestine are facing a painful situation and an independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital included is only solution of this issue.